I've been in the communications business a long time?over 25 years. During that period I've gathered writing suggestions from all over, and put much of it in my new book "Words That Stick."In the next few paragraphs, I'll give you some of the best advice I've received. Perhaps some of this will help you write better instantly.Writing is a one-to-one communication. The best ...

Is your book nearly finished, finished, published, or even in its early stages? Do you want to know how to promote it with ease and low cost?Maybe you have already tried other methods to sell you book and felt tired of?- Submitting unseen or unheard media releases- Chasing book reviews that yielded small negligible results- Selling only a few books at your book signings...

Want to write your book? But, need a blueprint on why it will help your profits and brand your business? Need to know each step so you can delegate it to an assistant or do it yourself in just an hour a day for less than a month?Each chapter within my eBook "Write Your Print or Other Short Book-Fast!" can help fiction and non-fiction authors.Ch. 1. Why Write a Book?The best wa...

Dream that your book can be a number one best seller? Read books or visit Web sites that say they have your answers? -- All you need to do is get their program, follow their advice, and the world is yours. Or, you think I'll write it, but someone else can market and promote it. And that would be who? Publishers certainly don't promote unknown authors.Which author are you?1. Individua...

Bookcoaching clients come to me at different stages of writing their books. The ones who start from ground zero with a coach and learn what goes into each chapter to make it more readable and sell better. The ones who have been writing a long time, a year or so even. They often leave the project because they ran out of gas--got stuck what to do next. They may think they can manifest their book dre...

Started a book and then got bogged down? Like many of my bookcoaching clients do you say, "I have so many other demands, I just can't get to the book."This isn't procrastination or fear. Most writers get stuck when they don't know how to move forward, finish, publish and sell their unique, useful book to audiences just waiting for it to come out. Let me share two ways to speed up your proce...

What Makes a Great Headline?Headlines are far more important than the copy beneath them. If you don't use headlines within your chapter or in your Web site sales letters and article titles, you will lose your audience's attention in a few seconds. And, that's serious.Apply These Top Ten Headline Ideas and ProsperYour Headline...1. Needs to compel and propel the skimmer ...

Almost everyone could profit from enhancing their writing skills. From writing more crisp meta-tags ? which search engine bots find quite sexy ? to turbo-charging your blog readership by writing with punch, a skilled pen can propel any online effort in the right direction. But who has the time, money or know-how to tackle this daunting task, right? On the contrary, I have just the free and powerfu...

When you run an online agency for freelance writers, editors and proofreaders you'd think the biggest problem would be attracting employers who are willing to pay a decent hourly rate for freelance writing. You'd be wrong.Actually, the biggest problem is dealing with freelancers who're absolutely determined to offer their services for free. This week I was forced to suspend the...

Great business writers combine narrative skills with sound judgment to create classics that help both the beginner and the mid-career professional.Writing's completely subjective. What interests you may not interest me. But if somebody told me I could read the wisdom of only ten business writers, these are the ones I'd choose:1. Socrates ? He was likely history's first "self-hel...

So you want to be a successful author? You want to be up there with Brown, Archer, King, but what price are you prepared to pay? You might be lucky and your first book could be an overnight success but the chances are you'll be hacking it for years before success knocks.If you decided to become a lawyer, an accountant, a bricklayer, or even to start an 'ordinary' business then you would be ...

Q: How do I expand on an idea without getting too wordy?A. Before you begin counting words, focus on holding the reader's interest.(1) Writing as fast as possible, write up your idea, in expanded form, as if you were writing an email to a good friend. Don't edit or censor yet.(2) Stop! Take a break -- at least fifteen minutes. Have a cup of coffee, take the dog around the bloc...

When I asked new ezine subscribers, "What is your Number One writing question?" the answer came back loud and clear: "Time!"How do I find time to write? I'm busy all day -- and when I make some time, the phone rings or someone needs to see me right away.Here's how a coaching session -- or series of sessions -- might address these questions.1. What's happening in the rest of yo...

Griselda spent hours polishing up her resume. No detail was too small: type face, layout and spacing. She weighed each word, counted each comma. She sent out 200 resumes and received no responses.Reginald spent even more hours designing the most perfect website for his new business. Working with a highly recommended web designer, he chose colors, graphics, and layout. He agonized over produ...

Q. My writing sounds stiff and stilted. Help!A. Memories of high school and college papers are probably getting in the way. We're often brought up to believe writing is a Big Deal. We can't, of course, write the way we speak. That would be too easy!Some corporate departments perpetuate this myth. Many years ago, one group that hired a couple of writing consultants -- over zealous Eng...

Q. I'm staring at a blank screen with an equally blank mind. I need an idea for tomorrow's newsletter. Help!A. Most of us have too many ideas or too few. I've never met anyone with just the right number. Here's the secret: Once you start writing prolifically, you'll get ideas. Each idea will seem better than the one before. In fact, some ideas will be so good that you may be tempted to stop...

In a crowded market, clients will be seeking personality as they read what you've written -- they'll click right past pages that feel "been there, read that." They're looking for a voice that says, "Hey, client, this is me!"They want to know not just what you deliver -- but how. Will you be funny or serious? A perky cheerleader or a sardonic commentator? Will your view of life be based on "...

Welcome to the zany ideas of a productive writer. My students keep reminding me of my unusual tools and how helpful they have been for them. I also thank my students for their concept testing and refinement. Now, I feel much more confidant about sending them out into the world.For the next few minutes let your imagination run amuck. Okay, amuck is a little too far out there, so what about a...

What is this annoying, insidious angst that permeates my psyche? In all other regards, I'm a moderately confident guy. I'm secure in my abilities to be a good father, husband, employee, friend, gardener, etc. And, heck! Lots of folks tell me I'm a good writer. I'm passionate about my writing. I consumed by my stories. I can't stop, can't envision life without it.Yet, I have this persistent ...

Names are important. Names give clues about us, where we live, who we are. In some cases they can even tell what we do! There is a certain ring about George W. Bush, you just know he's American! You can almost feel the Texan, and taste the oilWhen selecting names try and make them suit the person and place, you might not think it but the name tells a lot about a character - think of Scrooge...

All writers should use a plan whether written or reflected. This includes the initial idea, the content or main points, and the conclusion whether it is an article, a short story, a chapter, or a complete novel.Let us look at the article. This starts with main idea that is engendered in the title. Then the content is considered: the main points that will make up the article. All that is lef...

Compiling a list of the history's ten best writers is like skating on a heated swimming pool. Just when you get started, you find yourself in hot water.The reason is: writing's completely subjective. What interests you may not interest me. We all read for different reasons.But, here ? in no particular order -- is another list of the world's top wordsmiths:1. Aesop ? Around 600...

One of the best ways to blow someone's winning streak during a tennis game is to comment on how great they are doing. Your comment will kick in their left brain's inner critic which will zap their flow and change their focus. In tennis this is an underhanded type of gamesmanship.In life, it happens to each of us all the time. Even writers.In writing, the same thing occurs as soon as ...

If you want to be a writer, you must write and that requires sitting at your typewriter or computer and writing although it may not be easy. That also means avoiding all distractions that will keep one from writing-visitors, friends, relatives, television, radio, and anything that will keep the writer from concentrating on the task.Although many writers wait for inspiration before they star...

Creating written documents reveals so much about you and your business skills. Your writing tells the reader about your educational background, pride in your work and business expertise. The emergence of the paperless office, e-mail, the internet and web pages only increases the power of the written word. Any company with employees who can write clearly and concisely has a competitive edge over ot...

Making Money from Freelance WritingIt's the question that every aspiring freelancer eventually finds themselves asking: is it really possible to make money from this? The kind of money that lets you keep a roof over your head and feed your kids occasionally, that is?Well, yes, it is. But let's be honest: it's not easy. In fact, you probably just picked one of the most difficul...

Communication is effective when we follow certain rules. These rules make the written words understood. A writer should make the reader's job easier by communicating what he or she wants to communicate. If you also want to write, pay respect to your readers. Don't take them for granted. Learning and understanding the basic rules of English Grammar, you will surely be able to avoid ill-formed, conf...

Ever wonder what an author's life is like? What that breathing, sweating, hungry, weary, bona fide guy does when he's not at the keyboard? How does his "day job" affect his writing? When he's mowing the lawn, grocery shopping, or babysitting grandchildren ? what goes through his mind? Is he sucking up every sensation as he moves through his day, tucking tidbits away for a future piece? O...

Some writers complain that writing is arduous work requiring long hours and little pay, which is often true especially for freelance fiction writers. Today, everyone wants to be a writer and with word processors and computers it is easy to put thoughts down, but it is not always effortless to be published unless one self-publishes or uses a vanity press.Neverthe less, writing although deman...

What do you mean, you don't have a website yet? Websites these days aren't just for businesses and people who want to share their obsession with Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the world. These days, websites are one of the most important tools for writers...Why get a writer's website?First of all, ask yourself why you write in the first place. If you can honestly put your hand on your...